Just recently I mentioned here on another thread that my spice shop was selling trays of tinned plum tomatoes which worked out at 8p a tin, so I stocked up, and subsequently my now favourite soup was born.

Tomato and chick pea soup with courgette dumplings

This is obviously a simple soup but thought I would share as it sort of came about when I accepted unwanted pitta bread, carrots, celery and courgettes from my neighbour and I want to remember it!

I usually batch freeze diced onion, carrots and celery anyway, so I sauteed some in olive oil with a teaspoon of minced garlic and another of dried thyme. I added a veggie stock cube, two tins of plum tomatoes and topped it up with boiling water. Then in went a couple of broken up pitta and it simmered for 20 minutes. I whizzed the soup then added a drained tin of chick peas and six small dumplings (I made mine with a packet mix) to which I had added a small diced courgette. 20 minutes later when the dumplings were huge it was ready. I added extra hot chilli sauce to mine. I think while I am happily drowning in tinned tomatoes, this will be on my menu at least weekly.

I do like the look of Yotam's burnt aubergine soup. I'd only need the brinjal - three hefty sized ones in my spice shop currently on sale three for £1. I've been eyeing them up for the last couple of days wondering what I could do with them, so that link was good timing! I'd leave out the starchy accompaniment for dieting purposes, but I would probably dollop some natural yoghurt on top to serve.

PP - that first asparagus soup on link 4 came just at the right time as it's my mum's favourite and I promised to make her some if she provides the asparagus! And I will be noting down the coconut - coriander chutney recipe too!

My soup de jour has been spiced cream of cauliflower with chick peas. Onions, turmeric, cumin, chilli flakes, garlic then cauliflower florets and cubes of potato, stock then simmer, puree and swirl through natural yoghurt and stir in a tin of chick peas. Some fresh coriander would have been nice. I ate it with a naan.